Computational Fluid Dynamics

In this vignette, we highlight unsteady flow inside a skewed cavity. The calculations were performed using a higher-order discretised form of the Navier-Stokes equations using a non-orthogonal, collocated finite volume grid.

Computational Fluid Dynamics is a field of fluid dynamics that encompasses numerical analysis, the physics of fluid motion (including multi-scale phenomena, chemical reaction, heat and mass transfer, etc.) computing systems, and computer graphics. Computational Fluid Dynamics can be applied to atmospheric flows, flows over cars and airplanes, inside internal combustion engines and in the study of biological flows (blood flow).

The Queen's Computational Science and Engineering specialisation is an ideal vehicle to train students in this multi-disciplinary field. Students should have good computing skills, including mastery of, say, Fortran or C++, excellent mathematical skills, and good physical insight into the complex but beautiful world of fluid motion. Students who graduate with this specialisation will go on to fulfilling careers in either further graduate study or in industry as Computational Fluid Dynamics becomes the method of choice for design.

Unsteady shear layer calculated using the lattice Boltzmann method; part of the M.Sc. thesis of Dustin Bespalko.

Dustin Bespalko successfully completed his specialisation in Queen's Computational Science and Engineering in Computational Fluid Dynamics under the supervision of Professor Pollard. Dustin used a new method to study turbulent flow using Lattice Boltzmann methods. "If your research involves code development for high performance computing, this program is the best way to learn the fundamentals required to be successful. Taking this specialisation as part of my Master's degree easily saved me months of frustration, and greatly improved the quality of my research."

Frank Secretain has developed a novel way to solve the Navier-Stokes equations. "The QCSE program has led my research in radical new ways and directions. This addition to my program will greatly benefit me in industry as high performance computing becomes 'the way' things are solved in the future."